Cittern. (Was: New Forum! HOt-Diggity-Dog!)

[Nanohedron]

I guess I'll break it in, then.

So, is a cittern traditional or not?

[Dale]

I guess I'll break it in, then.

So, is a cittern traditional or not?

I'm not sure. As Giver of This Forum, I, uh, don't remember what it is.

Dale

[Congratulations]

I don't know either.

And thus I gain one more post!

[ShadowBG625]

Just had to put my first personal post in this forum. Neato! I play guitar (amongst others)...and have taken interest of zithers.

[Dale]

Sure is pretty, though:


http://www.dustystrings.com/shop/cittern_info.shtml

Dale

[rh]

So, is a cittern traditional or not?

probably as traditional as a keyless Pratten...

[Nanohedron]

Sure is pretty, though:


http://www.dustystrings.com/shop/cittern_info.shtml

Dale

Ah! A Sobell. That's the guy who purportedly revived the instrument.

Doesn't beat a Foley, though.

[Congratulations]

So, is a cittern traditional or not?

probably as traditional as a keyless Pratten...

Or a low whistle?

[Nanohedron]

So, is a cittern traditional or not?

probably as traditional as a keyless Pratten...

Or a low whistle?

Please, please. The carping serves you all ill.

[carrie]

Sure is pretty, though:


http://www.dustystrings.com/shop/cittern_info.shtml

Dale

Ah! A Sobell. That's the guy who purportedly revived the instrument.

Doesn't beat a Foley, though.

Sobol, do you mean maybe, Nano?

Joseph Sobol, former Chicagoan, is the guy I think of as reviving it. His album, Citternalia, is lovely.

Nice new forum!

Carol

[Nanohedron]

Hey, Carol. No, I mean Sobell. As in Steve Sobell, of Northumberland, I think it is. He started building 5-coursed gizmos like the one above in the 1970s, which, incidentally, are reasonably similar to citterns made in Dublin, at least, in the 1700s. The Irish called the cittern the "English Guitar". The term "cittern" I understand to be more the Scots usage at the time. The old instrument fell out of use around the 1850s, I believe, so a gap of about one hundred years elapsed before its modern reinterpretation.

I've heard Citternalia is a great album. Haven't heard it yet; maybe I won't. Melody players make me depressed.

[carrie]

Hey, Carol. No, I mean Sobell. As in Steve Sobell, of Northumberland, I think it is. He started building 5-coursed gizmos like the one above in the 1970s, which, incidentally, are resonably similar to citterns made in Dublin, at least, in the 1700s. The Irish called the cittern the "English Guitar". The term "cittern" I understand to be more the Scots usage at the time. The old instrument fell out of use around the 1850s, I believe, so a gap of about one hundred years elapsed before its modern reinterpretation.

You know, this reminds of the time I was at a party to celebrate my cousin's graduation from the University of Chicago. I remember standing around, champagne glass in hand, earnestly offering my *own* views of particle physics to his fellow physics majors.

Sorry, there, Nano.

*clinks glass*

Carol

[Nanohedron]

Hey, Carol. No, I mean Sobell. As in Steve Sobell, of Northumberland, I think it is. He started building 5-coursed gizmos like the one above in the 1970s, which, incidentally, are resonably similar to citterns made in Dublin, at least, in the 1700s. The Irish called the cittern the "English Guitar". The term "cittern" I understand to be more the Scots usage at the time. The old instrument fell out of use around the 1850s, I believe, so a gap of about one hundred years elapsed before its modern reinterpretation.

You know, this reminds of the time I was at a party to celebrate my cousin's graduation from the University of Chicago. I remember standing around, champagne glass in hand, earnestly offering my *own* views of particle physics to his fellow physics majors.

Sorry, there, Nano.

*clinks glass*

Carol

Hey, that's a reasonable mixup. When I heard of a crack citternist (Citterner? Citternite?) with the name of Sobol, I thought it was a bit uncanny. Don't know if he plays a Sobell, though. Sobells ARE well-regarded.

[Dale]

SO, what distinguishes this instrument? How's it tuned and what's the range and all that?

DW

[Nanohedron]

SO, what distinguishes this instrument? How's it tuned and what's the range and all that?

DW

Typically five courses of ten strings, neck scale usually a bit shorter than your average guitar. Tunings are varied, but DGDAD --which I use-- is popular, and works very nicely for backup playing. CGDAE is popular with melody players, but not exclusively so: Gerald Trimble, who plays a Sobell, by the way, tunes his DAEAE, and not infrequently uses a capo to get GDADA. Some players employ octave strings from the middle to bass courses, but my impression is that most people don't do this and stick to having each course in unison with itself. Well, "unison" could be argued, but you get my drift. It's unison courses for me, too.